The Path Paved With Good Intentions
by CrimsonKyuubiSage
Summary: "My name is Naruto Uzumaki, and... I know my mind is changing, but I'm already too far gone to know what to do..." The mind is a fragile thing. Once it breaks, there is no guarantee it can be put back together again. Witness the descent to madness from start to finish... "I want people to know that, if I do things... If I do things that hurt anyone, please forgive me..."
1. Chapter 1 - Professor Naruto!

**AN: In light of the recent blizzard, I came up with this story, a triple crossover with Naruto x Fairy Tail x ?, though the third crossover element will become very apparent quite soon...**

 **Also, this story will have quite the contradiction! Because it's a Non-Magical!Naruto _AND_ Magical!Naruto, though how it will be that way, just like the third crossover element, will become very apparent soon...**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

Chapter Start

 **-The Path Paved With Good Intentions-**

" _You're hired._ "

Those two words still echoed in his mind, numbing the mindless chatter that buzzed throughout the campus, incoming freshmen and returning upperclassmen zooming about in search of friends or their first classes.

But him? Though he visibly kept his composure, he was a nervous wreck on the inside. This would be his first official day on the job, straight from graduation school to a job in the very same university.

He honestly still wasn't sure if he was ready to be a teacher...

"Hey." He was broken from his stupor when he felt a tapping on his shoulder and a feminine voice call out to him. He quickly spun on his heels, coming face to face with a beautiful young woman.

She stood at 5'6" with golden blond hair that went halfway down her back and had side-swept bangs in front, with two strands of hair draped down the sides of her head. Her eyes were a warm chocolate brown color, and her attire consisted of a light blue keyhole sweater that showed off part of her cleavage, dark blue jeans that hugged her shapely hourglass figure, brown shoes, and a grey-green backpack slung on her back.

"You look a bit confused. Need any help finding a classroom?" she asked, giving a gentle smile that made his heart rush...

Little did he know that she was checking him out, causing her to mentally giggle perversely.

He was a little taller than her, standing at 5'8", slightly tanned skin, cerulean blue eyes, and straight red hair. He wore a white button-up shirt, a black vest, a grey suit jacket with elbow patches, grey dress pants, a red bowtie, black shoes, and a black computer bag. But what stood out most, at least in her mind, was the blue-tinted, reflective Teashades that drooped slightly down his nose.

All in all, he was quite a handsome 'freshman/transfer student'.

"Actually, I'm looking for classroom... 173?" he said hesitantly, glancing down at the slip of paper firmly grasped within his hand before looking back up at the blond woman. "If you would be so kind as to point me in the right direction."

"Oh! Of course!" she exclaimed. "Just head down this hallway, up the nearest flight of stairs, and then it should be the second lecture hall on the left."

"Arigatou, miss... erm..." he trailed off.

"Anna. Anna Heartfilia." she replied, shyly extending her hand to the red haired man.  
"A pleasure. Naruto Uzumaki." he responded, shaking the extended hand with a smile of his own matching Anna's.

The sudden chiming of the nearby clock tower suddenly caught both their attention, signifying that classes would begin in five minutes.

"Oh my." Naruto mumbled, a small red hue spreading across his cheeks as he quickly glanced down and noticed her accentuated assets.

"Listen, Naruto-kun. As much as I would like to stick around, I have to get to my first class soon." Anna stated, quickly dashing off and giving the redhead a wave as she left. "Catch ya later!"

Naruto said nothing, only waving at the busty blond until she was no long within hi peripheral vision.

The moment she was out of his sight, he released an exasperated sigh, the nerves that had diminished with the small conversation he had with the blond immediately returning to him like a boomerang.

Taking a deep breath and gathering what sense of courage he could muster, he hastily made his way down the hallway, following the directions that Anna had given him until he arrived at a door with a sign that read 'Room 173'.

"Okay... you can do this Naruto!" he chanted to himself, twisting the doorknob and pushing the door open, the sound of sixty give-or-take students all talking simultaneously hitting him with a force akin to a bull slamming into a man.

The moment he stepped inside, the door slamming shut behind him, was as if a switch had been flicked. Immediately, all the chatter and noise died down, nearly every students' eyes glued on his form. Naruto adjusted his bag and pulled at his collar a little...

Today would be a long day, that of which he was certain.

 **-The Path Paved With Good Intentions-**

"Did you guys hear?"  
"Hear what?"  
"The new teacher."

"You mean the one that took the place of Mr. Jackson?"  
"Yeah. Rumor has it that he's kinda cute."  
"Really?"  
"And get this... he's _our_ age!"

Anna perked up at that last statement, previously having been listening to the mindless chatter of rumors some of her friends had overheard.

"Our age?" Anna questioned.  
"Yeah. Why? Does this... _pique_ your curiosity~?" one of her friends teased, waggling her eyebrows suggestively while the other made kissing noises.  
"Oh shut up Emma, Natasha. I don't even know who this guy is." Anna defended.

"Well we're about to. The rumor goes that he's the professor of our next class." Emma stated. She stood at 5'10" with blue eyes, dyed ash blond hair that went halfway down her back, perfect skin and while her figure was not as curvy as Anna's, she certainly made up for it with a more generous bust. Her outfit consisted of a light blue shirt that ended at her abdominal and white pants, both of which hugged her curves, white shoes, and a blue-and-white themed purse.

"Room 173..." Anna mumbled. "I met a new student our age that had that classroom right from the beginning."  
"A new student? Boy or girl?" Natasha asked. She stood at 5'7", her green eyes filled with mischief and her black hair ending just past her shoulders. She wore a black shirt with orange trimmings, black yoga pants, a tan open jacket, and black shoes.

" _He_ just asked for directions, that's all."  
"Ooo? Do I hear wedding bells~?"  
"Shut up, Emma-baka!"

...

"Anna-san?" Naruto called out, catching the trio's attention - specifically the blond woman in question.

"Naruto-kun?" Anna responded, turning to face the red haired man she had met earlier that day.

"Is this the guy you were talking about, Anna?" Emma asked.

"Yep! Emma, Natasha, this is Naruto Uzumaki. Naruto-kun, these are my friends Emma Frost and Natasha Eucliffe." Anna stated.  
"Nice to meet you two." Naruto replied, pushing up his glasses slightly before they could drop off his face.

"So Naruto..." Anna began. "Since you had a class in room 173, can you tell us what the new teacher is like?"

"Is he hot?" Natasha questioned.

"W-Well, I... uhh..." Naruto stammered.

"You can ask us for details later, Natasha." Emma stated, waving her hand dismissively. "Don't you have to get to the other side of campus for your next class?"

"..." Natasha froze up, staying absolutely still for a few seconds before bolting down the hallway, leaving a comical dust cloud in her wake.

...

"So what brings you here, Naruto-kun?" Anna asked, bouncing up and down on her heels slightly.  
"My next class, Anna-san." Naruto replied.

"Your next class? I thought you had a class here first period?"

"Weeeell..."

 **-The Path Paved With Good Intentions-**

Anna and Emma sat in their seats flabbergasted, jaws dropped with comical wide eyes.

Why were they in such a state of shock? The answer was at the bottom of the lecture hall.

"Good afternoon, class." Naruto stated, adjusting his suit jacket slightly as he spoke. "Welcome to 'World History and the Impact of Mythology'. I am your professor, Naruto Uzumaki."

...

"You're kidding, right?" one of the students called out.

"I am not." Naruto replied curtly.

"But you're _our_ age." the same student retorted.

"Mister... Redfox, I presume?" Naruto said hesitantly, continuing to speak when the student nodded positively. "If you have a problem with my class, the door is right over there. The same applies to anyone else who feels the same way."

He wasn't surprised when four students stood up and left, making the total count of students that had done so being seventeen.

"Well then..." Naruto began, handing out small stacks of paper. "Take one and pass it back. This will be your syllabus for the year. Any questions?"

 **-The Path Paved With Good Intentions-**

" **You're** the professor?!" Anna exclaimed, herself and Emma being the last two people inside the classroom, save for Professor Naruto himself.

"Yes. I do hope that this won't be problematic for either of you." Naruto stated, taking off his glasses and cleaning them with a cloth.

"U-Uhh..." Anna stammered, her face turning beet red and steam coming out of her ears. Not even the first day and the new guy she met turned out to be her professor.

It didn't help that he was attractive in her mind.

'Why is it that the first nice, cute... hot - _cute_ guy that I meet of the school year and he's my professor?! Muuuu...' Anna mentally exclaimed.

"Anna? Earthland to Anna?" Emma called out, waving her hand in front of the blond woman.

"H-Huh? W-What?" Anna questioned.

"I was saying that I was just about to head out on my lunch break. Another class will be occupying this classroom in my absence." Naruto said, grabbing his bag and hoisting it over his shoulder. "I bid you two good day."

...

"So..." Emma said the moment Naruto left the room, a brazen grin on her face directed at her blond friend. "You liiiiiiiiiiiiike him~!"  
"W-What?! No I don't! I do _not_ like Naruto-kun!" Anna denied furiously, though her reaction said otherwise.

"Who said anything about Naruto~?" Emma retorted in a sing-song voice. "And 'Naruto-kun' too? I can already hear the wedding bells~!"

"Emma-bakaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!" Anna exclaimed before suddenly pausing. "Oh?"

"What is it?" Emma asked.

"I think Naruto-kun might've left something on accident." Anna stated, walking over and noticing the odd leatherbound, thick book with black letters on the front spelling out ' _ **Ἐ**_ _ **γχειρίδιον**_ '.

"What does it say?" Emma questioned.

"... _The Enchiridion_?" Anna said hesitantly, eyes widening by a fraction.

"*CREAK*!" The door suddenly opened up. Naruto hastily stepped inside and made his way over to the desk that the duo stood around.

"Terribly sorry, I almost forgot this." Naruto said, snatching the leatherbound book from the curious eyes and leaving just as swiftly.

...

"... Come on." Anna said, a certain edge to her voice as she spoke.

"What?" Emma responded, confused by the sudden mood shift of her friend.

"That's The Manual." Anna replied, a look of realization coming across Emma's face.

"Understood, Anna-sama." Emma said, her face and tone drained of emotion.

"We need to retrieve that book." Anna stated. "Also... how did a _Mundane_ acquire it?"

 **-The Path Paved With Good Intentions-**

" _Information at this time is... inconsistent at best, but rumors from the nation's borders speak of destructive forces clashing against one another. There are a few theories on what is the cause of this mass destruction, but again, we can neither confirm nor deny any of these accusations. We will try to keep you informed to the best of our abilities as soon as new information arrives, this is channel seven news, August 27th, X392, signing off-_ "

Anna and Emma tuned out the news broadcast, peaking around the corner of the building they were hiding behind, spying on the unsuspecting redhead professor.

As they continued to follow (Read: Stalk) Naruto, they passed by many strange sights that were common to the city...

Lines that stretched for blocks that lead to military recruiters, with men and women alike shuffling forward to ideally serve their country in the line of duty, newly recruited soldiers in pristine uniforms worn for the first time talking with their friends and loved ones, civilians occasionally pausing in their tracks to stare at the propaganda posters that decorated nearly every available wall and/or window...

Anna actually paused to glance at one of the posters that caught her eye.

' **It** **can** **happen here!**

 _ **-Unless**_ **we**

 **Keep 'Em**

 **Firing!** '

The accompanying picture was of a smoldering building, with two dragons flying up high in the sky spewing fire that burned the remaining landscape, and at the bottom of the poster was an image of a tank and biplane to go along with the last line of text.

"Excuse me, sir." Anna and Emma had to quickly hide out of sight when an army recruiter called out and approached Naruto.

"Yes? How can I help you?" Naruto questioned, adjusting his glasses slightly as he spoke.

"If I may just have a moment of your time-"  
"I'm not interested in joining the army." The man's expression dropped at the blunt statement that the redhead gave him.

"B-But your country needs you!"  
"I am a pacifist, as well as a Renaissance man. My duty to this country is to ensure that the knowledge we have accumulated before, during, and after the war can be passed on to future generations." Naruto stated. "Now if you excuse me, I only have twenty-one minutes left on my lunch break, and I would very much like to have lunch before that time is up."

And with that, Naruto promptly moved around the man and went on his way, pausing briefly and turning to stare at the 'hidden' Anna and Emma.

"Anna-san, Emma-san. You realize that if you two wished to join me for lunch, all you had to do was ask... right?" Naruto called out, causing both women to comically jump.

 **-The Path Paved With Good Intentions-**

"H-How did you find us?" Anna questioned, staring down at her iced tea with a look of embarrassment on her face, the same applying to Emma except she had a water with ice.

"You two weren't exactly subtle." Naruto replied, sending a deadpan stare at the duo before returning to his BLT sandwich. "So care to explain why you were following me? Or should I make an educated guess?" he asked after taking a bite.

"That book of yours looks... intriguing." Anna stated, glancing at _The Enchiridion_ that was placed on the same side of the table beside the redhead professor.

"I see..." Naruto mumbled, his expression unreadable and his eyes hidden behind the glare of the sun on his glasses. "You're interested in _The Enchiridion_ , the Hero's Manual?"

"I... erm... yes." Anna replied.

"Well I'm sorry to inform you, but it isn't for sale, if that was your intention." Naruto retorted, readjusting his glasses once more. "It's one of my most prized possessions."

"How did you acquire it then?" Emma questioned. "The legend surrounding the book says that it was lost after its previous owner, Epictetus, vanished."

"Well..." Naruto began. "That is quite the tale that-"

"*BEEP* *BEEP*! *BEEP* *BEEP*!" Naruto paused when the sound of two consecutive beeps repeatedly pierced the vale of noise.

"... Will have to be told at a different time." Naruto finished, waving for one of the waitresses. "Check please!"

...

The disappointed look on Anna and Emma's faces almost made him laugh, though he settled for a fox-like grin instead.

"My lunch break is almost up. I need to get back before the next class starts." Naruto said, pulling out his wallet and placing money for the food and drinks on the table. "Farewell."

 **-The Path Paved With Good Intentions-**

"Incoming! Take cover-" "*BOOM*!" The soldiers dove to the ground as a Boeing P-12 came crashing down, exploding and sending shrapnel in all directions, even impaling a few unfortunate soldiers in the process.

"*GRAAAAOOOOOOOOORRRR*!" the draconic roar boomed louder than the sound of the guns that were aimed at it, striking fear into the hearts of those who stood to oppose the massive creature.

"Open fire!" Tanks and machine guns alike struck the dragon's scale in an attempt to pierce and hopefully kill the beast, but to no avail did these metal shells slay the creature.

With a gust of wind from its wings, the dragon knocked back the humans and their creations, killing dozens upon dozens and destroying just as many vehicles.

"Fall back! I repeat fall back!" Those that could not run began to limp, those that could not limp began to crawl, and those who could not crawl were left to die, screaming until their lungs were burning and their voices hoarse or emptying their remaining ammunition in attempt to fire upon the dragon or simply laying there to die, unable to move even a little bit from the pain they were in.

"Send a message back to command HQ..."

"Yes sir."  
"Tell them... Tell them that we have confirmation... The Dragon Civil War has reached beyond the Ishgar-Alakitasia borders."

 **-The Path Paved With Good Intentions-**

The waves advanced and receded in an erratic pattern, the rocky beach being mostly devoid of life, save for the fishers and pockets of water that trapped some of the creatures of the sea on the shore.

It was the calm days like this that Ivan found solace in. Despite temperatures reaching only 10° Celsius on a good day, he felt there was a peculiar rhythm to the waters that while ever-changing remained constant.

...

"Oh?"

A glint of light caught his attention, glistening from its deposit in the wet sands, far too bright to be one of the common useless rusted metal trinkets that occasionally washed up on these shores. He quickly dashed to the glistening object, never taking his eyes off of it lest he lose sight of the item in question.

"Well, well... what do we have here?" he mumbled, his fingers coiling around the glistening object and pulling it from the wet sands.

Strangely enough, even though he had grown up with the blistering cold, the moment his fingers touched the foreign item, it felt colder than anything he ever felt...

Brushing the wet sand that clung to object away, he found three red rubies embedded in the gold...

A gold crown with three points and adorned with three red rubbies.

Chapter End

* * *

 **Post AN: Timeline of significant events in Earthland:**

 **X384 - Roubaul creates Nirvana.**

 **X391 - Dragon Civil War breaks.**

 **The current year in the story so far is X392, nearly a year after the Dragon Civil War began.**

 **Well, I'll see you guys next time! Ja mata!**

 **-CrimsonKyuubiSage out!**


	2. Chapter 2 - A Fairy Tale Begins!

**AN: Many people have brought up an excellent point that modern technologies such as the biplane and tank and machine guns are in the past... when in the future very few technologies are just past post-industrial revolution (i.e. the train, the magical four wheeler, and boats). Another point brought up was that Nirvana was a magical weapon made out of stone.**

 **All I will say in response, is that it will all make sense as the story progresses. Enjoy!**

* * *

Chapter Start

 **-The Path Paved With Good Intentions-**

" _The eastern front of the war has been holding steady, though we've lost contact with our affiliate stations in Vacuo, as well as the southern tip of Atlas. We can only assume the worst at this time. Rumors of... Rumors of the authorized use of weapons of mass destruction have begun to circulate the remaining nations. Again, we will try to keep you informed to the best of our ability as more information arrives._

 _In other news, last Saturday's magic civil rights protest turned dark when a fireball spell struck a police officer. Seventeen police and twenty mages were hospitalized, with over two dozen mages placed under arrest for assault and other felonies._

 _Well that's it for this week's new, enjoy your weekends. This is channel seven news, January 21st, X393, signing off-_ "

Naruto's eyes narrowed as he listened to the news broadcast, pausing as he contemplated the revelations...

Mages, humans or otherwise non-humans, were individuals who had the ability to wield 'Magic'. Their existence had been revealed to the world over forty years ago, and not in the best way possible either...

Crocus was still recovering from the assault, and bodies were still being unearthed from the rubble to this day.

And the Dragon Civil War... Though most people simply called it 'the Dragon War', if only because there has yet to be a sighting of a dragon fighting against another dragon.

It began nearly three years ago, when dragons after centuries of peace began to massacre humans on the continent of Alakitasia, ignoring every other creature and focusing solely on humans. Word of these mass killings took two months to reach Ishgar, another ten to inform and prepare the public for war, and another three to send out the troops...

The death toll had reached a quarter of a million within three months, a million in the following six months before they decided to pull out of Alakitasia to secure their own continental borders...

And now the problem was right at their front and back doorsteps.

...

Naruto shook his head, expelling all thoughts of the war in favor of the ancient leatherbound book in front of him.

" _ **Γενναίος ήρωας**_... Brave hero... _**αφήστε το σπαθί σας να μανδύα**_... let your sword be sheathed..." Naruto mumbled, his left hand keeping his place in _The Enchiridion_ and his right transcribing the ancient language onto paper. "- _ **για το γεγονός ότι είναι καλύτερο και πιο έμπιστος σας εργαλείο**_... for though it be your best and... most trusty tool..."

"Naruto-ku - sensei?" Anna called out, breaking the red haired professor from his stupor.

"Ah, Anna-san. Come on in." Naruto said, motioning with his right hand to the blond woman.

"N-Naruto-sensei-" "Please, 'sensei' makes me feel like an old man. And besides, we're not officially in class right now."

"R-Right, Naruto-kun..." Anna said, her gaze falling upon the book that he was reading. "I'm sorry, I'm not interrupting anything, am I?"  
"Not at all. I was just transcribing." Naruto replied, placing his pen down and moving the red bookmarker bound to the book to hold his place before closing the ancient text. "What can I do for you?"

"I..." Anna began, her face turning red as she spoke, imagining a chibified Emma and Natasha holding up a banners that said ' **Go for it!** ' and ' **You can do it!** ' in encouragement.

...

"Uhh... Anna-san? Are you okay?" Naruto questioned, standing up in front of the frozen blond woman and waving his hand in front of her face.

"PLEASE GO OUT WITH ME-!" Anna exclaimed, quickly snapping her hands over her mouth after her exclamation, steam coming out of her ears from embarrassment.

"... Okay." She blinked in confusion, staring at the red haired professor as if he had grown a second head.

"'Okay'? You're not going to try to lecture me about student-teacher ethics?" Anna questioned.

"You are of legal age, and despite my professional status I am still a twenty-year-old, hot-blooded male. I'd be lying to myself if I said I did not find you attractive in any way." Naruto stated, adjusting his glasses to conceal his eyes as a tinge of red spread across his cheeks. "S-So... yeah..."

"W-Well... there's this new restaurant that opened up on 14th Street that I wanted to try out." Anna suggested. "Meet me there at eight tonight?"

"Sure! I-I mean... sure..." Naruto said, attempting to recover from his quick outburst and regain his calm and collected appearance, which caused Anna to giggle a little.  
"See you then~!" Anna exclaimed, sauntering out of the lecture hall with a small, yet noticeable sway in her hips.

"..." Naruto was left mouth agape, his face red and his brain momentarily shut down. He quickly shook his head, allowing his mind to restart, take in the information of what just happened...

And then promptly freak out.

'... I have to get ready for a date!'

 **-The Path Paved With Good Intentions-**

"-And then Phoebe lit the paper on fire! Marvin and I covered for her, but I'm pretty sure the headmasters knew it was us either way..." a young man with black hair and black eyes finished, laughing a little at the end.

A warm, wet stream of tears began to fall from his eyes, despite his lighthearted laughter, which slowly diminished until it was no more.

"... We all miss you, you know?" he said, quickly wiping away the tears in his eyes, only for fresh ones to take their place. "Phoebe, Marvin, heck even Sting and Rogue and some of the headmasters miss you..."

He stared up at the setting sun, watching the last rays of light vanishing in the horizon, almost as if he was expecting a response to his statements.

"Most of the older students and even a few from our grade were drafted voluntarily. Knowing you, you'd probably charge in headstrong in the hopes that you'd get to see a dragon up close." he mumbled, casting his gaze downward once more, the cheerfulness of his expression having been replaced with a determined, borderline psychotic look. "But don't worry. I promise that you'll get to see dragons one day... Otouto."

And with that, he turned and began to walk away from the headstone, knowing fully well what he had to do...

There were certain magical arts that were considered taboo at the academy, but for the sake of his brother... he would delve into those dark arts...

For the sake of Natsu Dragneel.

 **-The Path Paved With Good Intentions-**

"I see..." Ivan stood in front of his town's elder, a woman who looked like she would disintegrate into dust just from even the slightest movement or gesture.

"Rachel-sama... I came to you for guidance on this crown." Ivan stated, gesturing to the object that the ancient woman held within her grasps. "It gives off an evil aura. I-I can't explain it, but-"

He suddenly was silenced when the elder held her bony hand up, her nearly blind eyes meeting his own gaze.

"Ivan-chan..." Rachel began. "This crown is from a time not of our own. Cursed with its creation and seeking its next host."

"Does... does this mean-" Ivan started.

"No." Rachel interrupted. "The crown has deemed neither of us worthy."  
"So... It is sentient? It can speak?" Ivan questioned.  
"Yes and no. Yes, the crown is sentient, but it cannot speak with us, at least not in any language we can comprehend." Rachel replied. "Though in my time, I have come to understand what is said even without words."

"Then what should I do? What does the crown want?"

Rachel remained silent, closing her eyes as she placed both her hands on the icy-cold crown. Ivan shifted around nervously for a minute until the elder woman spoke again.

"... Go to the west. Beyond the ice and snow of this land..." Rachel whispered, though Ivan heard her words clear and precisely. "Four blue eyes will be the sign of its forfeit from your ownership."

...

"I understand. Thank you, Rachel-sama." Ivan said, bowing to the elder woman before taking the crown and leaving.

Had he glanced back, he would have seen the elder's eyes open, revealing a glowing stark white color that quickly reverted to their milky white color.

 **-The Path Paved With Good Intentions-**

"I have to get ready for a date!" Anna panicked, running around in circles comically, much to the ire of the two people that accompanied her.

"So you finally asked out Naruto-sensei?" Emma questioned.

"Yes and I'm freaking out! What if I do something stupid or something happens?!" Anna questioned.

"Calm down, Anna-sama. Isn't that why you summoned me, ebi?" the third person present questioned, a strange man that stood at 6'0" with black hair that was braided in red cornrows that ended in a shape that resembled crab's pincers. He had thick lips, and wore a blue striped shirt and dark trousers with two aquamarine stripes on each side, also wearing dark boots. In his pants there was a ring chain in the right pocket and a hairdresser tools' bag in the left side of his belt. He donned a golden necklace, held a pair of scissors in each hand, and sunglasses with green lens. He also had six crab legs that protruded from his back.

"Cancer-san is right, Anna-sama. You just need to calm down and prepare yourself." Emma stated.

"But I-" "*SLAP*!" "OW!"

...

"You calm now, Anna-sama?"  
"... Yeah... Yeah I think I am. Thanks Emma-chan."  
"Anytime, Anna-sama. Anytime. Now... Cancer-san, do your thing."

"With pleasure, ebi."

 **-The Path Paved With Good Intentions-**

The day quickly turned into night, and Anna found herself walking along 14th Street sporting new clothing and a new haircut.

And while she felt a bit more confident than earlier on, she still held a bit of fear in her mind.

'Oh kami! 8:04! I'm late, I'm late!' she mentally exclaimed, a dark scenario forming in her mind. 'What if he thinks that I was playing a cruel joke on him! His heart broken and my chances with him no longer because he thinks I'm just a bitch who likes to pull on other peoples' heartstrings?! Oh kami-'

"Anna-chan?" Naruto called out, causing the blond woman to jump in surprise.

"Oh hey, Naruto-kun-" Anna began, only to stop as she took in Naruto's new attire.

Naruto had donned a new outfit, much like herself. He still wore his blue Teashades, but other than that his attire was completely different. The weather outside was still cold, so he wore three layers: a red long-sleeved shirt, with a grey sweater on top, and finally a tan open trenchcoat, as well as dark pants, brown oxford shoes, and a lime green scarf.

Anna, on the other hand, now had shoulder-length blond hair with a small ponytail to the right of her head tied by a light green ribbon. She wore a light brown long-sleeved sweater, on top of which she had a light green infinity scarf, blue jeans that hugged her curves, tan boots with red legwarmers, and a white-and-red pair of earmuffs.

They both blushed, though neither of them realized that the other was as well.

"You look... breathtaking." Naruto stated, his face still flush red, though more so due to the cold.

"Well aren't you Prince Charming." Anna quipped, grinning despite the blush on her face.

"I guess that makes you the princess in this fairy tale." Naruto retorted.

"I guess it does..." Anna said.

"Well then..." Naruto said, extending his hand to the blond woman. "Shall we, my princess?"  
"But of course, my prince." Anna replied, taking Naruto's hand into her own, her fears and doubts expelled from her mind as she felt the warmth of Naruto's hand.

For the first time in a while, she didn't have to worry about the stigma that came with being a mage hiding in plain sight, or the pressures and ire that came from her family and clan because she chose to go to college first rather than become head of the clan immediately, or about the impending war that she _knew_ she would eventually have to participate in...

No, all she needed to pay attention to at the moment, was the man who held her hand, and their upcoming date.

Chapter End

* * *

 **Post AN: You guys wanna know the number one reason why I chose to start the story so far in the past from Fairy Tail canon (X784 is when the episodes start). What? You don't? Well too bad I'll tell you anyways.**

 **It's because it's a vague period, a blank canvas for me. Though don't get me wrong, this story will eventually reach the point that it catches up with Fairy Tail canon.**

 **But until then, enjoy the magical events that will unfold...**

 **Anyways, I'll see you guys next time! Ja mata!  
**

 **-CrimsonKyuubiSage out!**


	3. Chapter 3 - The Beginning of the End

**AN: Sorry, but you guys won't get to see the date (Just yet - maybe...)! Because I want to save it for a later date, pun fully intended.**

 **Also, a certain game caught my attention, something that hasn't happened in a while mind you, called "Undertale". Now, I never got aboard that hype train when it came to my stop, and even then i only figured out it's an rpg recently. Before you cry in outrage, I'm trying to get aboard on this train, so don't worry...**

 **Anyways, on with the story! Enjoy!**

* * *

Chapter Start

 **-The Path Paved With Good Intentions-**

" _Ishgar and mage leaders have finally opened up talks of peace, or at least begun negotiating an alliance over the past few days. Citizens of both magical and non-magical origin have expressed protest to the idea of coexisting, and have openly shown such outrage by acting out in violence, ranging from arson to attempted assassinations on both parties leaders._

 _Prince Harold Fiore issued this statement in response: "We will never have true civilization until we have learned to recognize the rights of others, regardless of whether they're black, white, mage, or non-human. If we cannot now end our differences, at least we can help make the world safer for diversity..."_

 _In other news, there have now been confirmed sightings of dragons fighting other dragons. And with the negotiations of peace with the mages, there is now hope that we can retake the Alakitasia continent._

 _Well that's it for this week's news, enjoy your weekends. This is channel seven news, June 24th, X399, signing off-_ "

Ivan rubbed his bleary eyes, glancing around at the city scenery that was a stark contrast to the calm serenity that his own town gave off. The clatter of his backpack, the box that he concealed the frosty crown in, as well as his disheveled appearance all contributed to making him look like a shady character...

Then again, as he glanced around at the few others that were up and out at the crack of, he realized that shady and creepy he may look...

He actually blended into the crowd.

 **-The Path Paved With Good Intentions-**

"Wake up, Naruto-kun~" Anna said, causing Naruto's eyes to flutter open.

"Well I must've died in my sleep, 'cause there's an angel right in front of me..." Naruto mumbled, greeted to the sight of Anna's golden blond hair draped over his bare chest.

"Baka." Anna replied, lightly slapping his chest in annoyance, though the amusement in her face would suggest otherwise.

"Come on... five more minutes." Naruto suggested, the few rays of sunlight that snuck through the room's blinds causing a glint to shine off of Anna's left hand, specifically her ring finger...

A smile came to his face as he used his left pinky to rub his own left ring finger, feeling the plain silver ring that he wore same as his fiancé.

Five years of dating, and he had finally proposed to her a year after she earned her Bachelor's Degree in Mythology.

Breaking the news to their parents, however, was _quite_ the show...

* * *

 _"Narutoooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!"_

 _"Annaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!"_

 _Kushina Uzumaki and Jeremiah Heartfilia shook Naruto and Anna by the shoulders as if they were ragdolls, with Naruto's father Minato and Anna's mother Veronica standing off to the side watching their respective spouse berate their child._

 _"Anna-chan! Help me!" Naruto cried out, comical tears spilling out of his eyes as he was shaken around._  
 _"Screw that! Help meeeeeeeeeeeee!" Anna retorted, in the same situation as Naruto was only with her father._  
 _"You're getting married?!" Kushina and Jeremiah exclaimed._

 _"And you didn't even bother introducing me to the boy_ beforehand _?!" Jeremiah questioned._

 _"Don't tell me this is gonna be a shotgun wedding?!" Kushina yelled, causing Jeremiah to turn to her._

 _"And what is_ _ **that**_ _supposed to mean?!" Jeremiah yelled more than asked, still shaking Anna around._  
 _"Nothing! I'm positive that your daughter is a wonderful girl!" Kushina replied with the same level of loudness as Jeremiah, shaking Naruto in a similar manner to how Jeremiah did to Anna._

 _"Thank you! I have. No. Doubts that your boy there is a pleasant young gentleman that will take good care of my daughter!" Jeremiah exclaimed._

 _"I just! Want! Grandkids to spoil, ya know?!"_  
 _"What?! Me too! I don't want to rush them into parenthood though!"_

 _"That may be true! But! We're! Not! Getting! Younger!"_

 _"..." Veronica Heartfilia looked as if she was about to speak up and say something, but was stopped when Minato held his hand up to her, shaking his head negatively, an unspoken message passed between the duo..._

 _Their spouses were in the zone. Getting their attention would only bring the wrath of hell upon them rather than their children._

 _"Ugh..." Naruto groaned, swirls in his eyes as his mother stopped shaking him around for a moment._

 _"Why..." Anna muttered, her face a comical sickly green color as her father stopped shaking her too..._

 _It lasted for a brief second, before the two parents began to shake their respective children around with renewed vigor._

 _"NARUTO!"_  
 _"ANNA!"_

 _"GIVE! US! GRANDKIDS!" Kushina and Jeremiah exclaimed as one._

* * *

What was meant to be a formal dinner with both sides of the family to announce their engagement quickly turned into chasing after Kushina and Jeremiah to stop them from enacting their plan to get grandchildren, and ended with Naruto and Anna running from their mother and father respectively when they _did_ get the necessary items to go through with their plan.

"Leaving so soon?" Anna questioned, donning a bathrobe to cover her nude body as she watched Naruto adjust his bowtie.

"I've got a class first thing this morning, but if things go smoothly I should be done for the day just in time for a late lunch." Naruto stated, reaching over and kissing Anna's forehead.

"I'll see you then, Naruto-kun." Anna said, a small smile gracing her face.

"I love you." Naruto responded, never noticing the miniscule flinch from Anna at the statement.

"I love you too..." Anna replied, forcing herself to smile as her fiancé left for work.

...

Anna suddenly collapsed to her knees after she was certain Naruto had gone and was not going to come back in case he forgot anything, her hands supporting her curvy frame and her eyes shut tightly, doing her very best to keep the forming tears from spilling over.

Taking a minute to compose herself, Anna finally stood up and trudged over into the next room, Naruto's study, which consisted of merely a lone desk, two filing cabinets, three bookshelves and a lone window. Each step she took felt heavier than the last as she approached the familiar old leatherbound book that rested on the desk.

She could feel it every time she did this, every time she snuck into this room behind her fiancé's back, every time she translated the chapters she needed or had use for, but more importantly...

She felt it every time her Naruto said he loved her. Oh kami, each and every time was like a stab to her heart - not because she didn't love him, far from it - but because she felt like she was exploiting him, _using_ him for her clan's own benefit...

" _ **Διάλεξη**_ _ **,**_ _ **Χώρος και Χρόνος Χειραγώγηση**_... Chapter Twenty..." Anna muttered, translating the ancient text aloud. "Space and Time Manipulation..."

 **-The Path Paved With Good Intentions-**

Naruto sighed happily, enjoying the serenity that came with the early morning on campus. It was a part of his morning routine, to enjoy the calmness before-

" _Oh Naruto-sensei~!_ "

Speaking of his morning routine, a smile graced his face as he spun around and came face to face with his former-student-turned-teacher's-assistant, Emma Frost.

Unlike Naruto, Emma's attire _had_ changed since they first met. She had her hair done up in a bun, and wore a simple, yet enticing outfit consisting of a pair of black rectangular glasses, a black button-up sleeveless vest, a light grey skirt that hugged her curves and ended just a little past her ass, a pair of knee-length black-and-grey socks, black high-heels, a white formal collar with a short black tie, and two white barrel cuffs...

It took all of Naruto's willpower not to cast his gaze downward.

"Ah, Emma-san. What have I told you about calling me 'sensei'?" Naruto questioned.

"I'm sorry~... Does this mean I'll be _punished_ ~?" Emma retorted, leaning down slightly to allow Naruto a full view of her cleavage, causing the redhead to sigh in annoyance.

In the eyes of the public, she was the campus's official 'Onee-Sama', an elegant, gentle, perfect example of what the university had to offer its students...

But to those who knew her on a personal level, mainly Naruto, Anna and Natasha, knew another side of her, a more vulgar, flirtatious side of her, even going so far as to declare herself Naruto and Anna's future mistress.

She also seemed very intent on having an affair with the redhead professor, especially after she found out that Naruto and Anna were dating.

"The first class should be beginning soon." Naruto said, using his index and middle finger to poke Emma's forehead before continuing on his way, with his now pouting blond teacher's assistant quickly following after him.

 **-The Path Paved With Good Intentions-**

" **Fall.** "

The black haired young man felt an ominous, oppressing aura fill the area. In a matter of milliseconds, the aura became too much to handle, causing him to soon fall to his knees and even then his knees gave out, making him drop unable to support even his own weight.

"W-What i-is t-this...?" he managed to choke out, his voice softer than a whisper and rapidly weakening in resolve.

The entire world around him suddenly turned pitch black, the skies above him, the earth beneath his feet... _everything_.

Even his other senses matched his sight, blinded by the darkness that was too much for his eyes to bear witness to...

All except for a single sound, the slow, yet clamorous footsteps that grew louder and louder as the unknown creature came closer and closer to him.

A dark chuckle echoed throughout the air as he tried to pull himself off the ground, failing after a few seconds.

" **Zeref Dragneel...** " the same deep voice called out. " **In all of my existence, never before has a mortal been so... daring, to try and mess with life and death,** _ **my**_ **domains.** "

"I-I... m-my brother..." Zeref mumbled.

" **Though I suppose, being the first to ever dare to defy me, I should justly reward you...** "

Even if he could not see it, he could _feel_ the magical fire spark and cackle right next to him...

Green flames, if his basic magic manipulation classes taught him correctly, those were the flames that he was feeling partially singe his skin...

Then it engulfed him. The searing pain was enough to give strength back to his vocal cords, as his shrill cries of agony became louder than the fire's cackling.

" **With this, you will serve as an example of the consequences of messing with life and death. You will not die, but so long as you value life, death will follow you.** "

Zeref managed to crack his eyes open by a small fraction, his vision filled with the sight of green flames, pitch black surroundings...

And a lone blue eye that held a sadistic glee, the illumination of the green flames dancing around in the orb.

" **Perhaps one day, you will find a way to lift my punishment yourself, for I will show no pity. But until then...**

 **Suffer.** _ **Mujun no Noroi**_ (Contradictory Curse) **.** "

 **-The Path Paved With Good Intentions-**

The day quickly went on, with the last students of his final class walking out the doors.

"Finally..." Naruto sighed, stretching his back as Emma visibly relaxed.

"That's one year finished. Hello two months of rest..." Emma began, sauntering over to Naruto and wrapping her arms around him, taking extra care to press her buxom into the redhead's back. "- _and relaxation_ ~"

"Emma-san..." Naruto said in almost a whining tone, causing said platinum blond haired woman to retract her arms with a pout that despite not seeing, he could feel.

"I know, I know... you're in a relationship, all sex between you and I - including threesomes - must be with the consent of Anna-chan beforehand."  
"Yeah... wait, _NO_!"  
"So we can have sex without her consent?"  
"NO!"

 **-The Path Paved With Good Intentions-**

"Stop them!"  
"They're heading for the - gah!"

"Professor Bonnibel!"

A pale-skinned young woman with hazel brown eyes and chocolate brown hair perked up. She stood at 5'9", donning a white lab coat on top of white shorts and a yellow t-shirt, as well as white socks, pink sneakers, and a pair of rectangular glasses.

The reason for such a reaction was a few feet from her, in the form of one of her assistants that suddenly and abruptly barged in, huffing and puffing from slight overexertion and a panicked expression on his face.

"Limoncello? What's wrong?" Bonnibel questioned.  
"It's-!" "*BANG*!" Whatever her assistant was about to say was never finished as a bullet pierced through his skull, splattering his blood and brains onto the door that he held open.

Bonnibel tried to scream, to vocalize any sort of verbal reaction, but the shock of seeing her co-worker, her subordinate, her _protégé_ killed so suddenly was overpowering such reaction.

She was numb. She was numb to the rattle of gunfire that followed after, to the five men that barged into her laboratory, armed with assault rifles, to the gunfire that they discharged to make all the other scientists alert to their presence...

"Bonnibel Kaugummi?" one of the men called out, snapping her out of her shock.

"I-I..." Bonnibel stammered, freezing up when the man pointed his firearm at her head.

"Are you Bonnibel Kaugummi. Yes or no?" the man repeated.

"Y-Yes?!" Bonnibel exclaimed, closing her eyes and waiting for the sweet embrace of death...

Only to find no such feeling.

"You have a choice here, Bonnibel Kaugummi." the man said, lowering his rifle slightly so it was not aimed at her skull.

"W-What?" Bonnibel questioned, reopening her eyes and releasing a mental sight of relief.

"We know that there is a certain item in possession of this lab, L1-CH." the man stated. "And you have the chance to save the lives of those who are left alive, _if_ you give us your full cooperation..."

 **-The Path Paved With Good Intentions-**

Ivan collapsed against the wall of a nearby building, teetering back and forth on the verge of awake and asleep, every single fiber of his body aching from his trek.

Six years. That's how long he's been on this quest. And quite frankly, he was **sick** of it - carrying the crown around like it was some type of bomb that would go off at any second.

He missed his home village, he missed his nice warm bed, he missed his lovely wife Catherine and their son Roland...

His vision suddenly became blurred, reminding him of the reason why he chose to drop against this wall in the first place.

...

"Excuse me, sir...?" a new voice chimed in, Ivan's sluggish state being mentally invigorated with a second wind as he caught sight of the person that called out to him.

"Four blue eyes..." Ivan muttered, catching the bluish glint that the man's glasses gave off.

"Are you alright?" Naruto questioned, tilting his head slightly in confusion.

"Yes..." Ivan replied, a wide grin etched on his face. "I'm just fine now."

Chapter End


End file.
